Grill



3, 1936. c. R. ANDERSON 2,033,060

GRILL Filed April 25, 1932 ,mmm; z s 33 unuuf'iuuunum i ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRILL ApplicationApril 25, 1932, Serial No. 607,251

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to that type of grill in which cookingplates, usually electrically heated, are used for preparing variousarticles, such as toast and meats where two opposed heating surfaces maybe brought into contact with the food being cooked. In carrying out myinvention the upper cooking plate is pivotally mounted with relation tothe bottom plate and means are provided whereby the closing pressure ofthe upper plate may be conveniently and efiiciently controlled. Featuresand details of the invention will appear from the specification andclaims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing as follows:

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of the grill, a part being cut away tobetter show construction.

Fig. 2 a similar view of a modified form with one of the side walls ofthe frame removed to better show construction.

Fig. 3 a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

I marks the frame of the grill. This is formed by a surrounding wall 2with supporting feet 3. A lower cooking plate 4 has downwardly extendingflanges 5 which are secured in the walls 2 by screws 6.

A bail 1 is pivoted by means of a. pin 8 on an arm 9 extending from theframe of the cooking plate 4. This bail is pivotally connected with theupper cooking plate III by means of pins I Ila. The bail is providedwith a handle II at the front of the grill by means of which the upperplate may be lifted for the insertion and removal of the material beingcooked, or treated. A cross shaft I2 is journaled in lugs I3 extendingdownwardly from the base of the cooking plate. It is provided with arock arm I4. Springs I5 are connected with the rock arm and connectedwith a nut IS. The nut has an extension I! which slidingly engages aguide l8 extending from the frame. A screw I9 operates in the nut andthis is provided with a handle 20 by means of which the nut may beadjusted and consequently the strength of the spring may be adjusted.Lever arms Ma are secured to the ends of the rock shaft l2 and areconnected by links Mb with the pivot pins Illa. The shaft I2 and thearms l4 and Ida. form a lever fulcrumed at I 2.

It will be seen that the action of the spring on the rock arm I4 andthis communicated through the lever Ma and the link Mb to the bailpartially supports the upper plate so that the pressure upon the foodbeing prepared, or treated, is

reduced to very much less than this. In fact,-the

upper plate may be balanced.

. V 5 In order to control the open position of the upper plate so thatthe drip from the plate will be carried on to the lower plate from whichit may be collected, I provide a link 2I which is pivoted by pin on thearm 9. The link is provided with a slot 23 through which a pin 24 on therear end of the upper plate extends. As the bail is swung up and thelink H is carried up with it, the lower end of the link engages the rearend of the base and definitely positions the bottom of the top plate inits open position over the rear of the bottom plate so that the drip iscaught by the lower plate.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2, the parts are similar. The frame,lower plate, upper plate and bail, together with the slotted link 2| arethe same as in Fig. 1 and operate in the same manner. Levers 25 areformed on the end of a cross bar. The cross bar with the levers form aU- shaped structure. The levers thus connected are pivoted by pins 26 onarms 2! extending from the base of the plate 4. The levers 25 engage aroller 28 mounted on the pivot pin Illa. An arm 29 extends downwardlyfrom the cross member between the levers 25 and springs 30 extend fromthe lever 29 to a nut 3|. The nut has an extension 32 which is slidinglyengaged by a guide 33 extending from the frame. The nut is mounted on ascrew 34 and is adjusted by a handle 35. Thus the springs may betensioned and the levers 25 carry more or less of the weight of theupper plate as may be desired.

It will be noted that the upper plate as it is moved involves a relativemovement endwise of the levers, so that there is a variation in theeffective lever arm due to the relative positioning of the pivot of thelever and the plate. This arrangement is such that the greatest leverageis available when the plate is in its horizontal position and decreasesas the plate is lifted to an upright position. The plate in itshorizontal position imposes nearly its entire gravity thrust on thelevers in their initial movement. But as the plate is lifted, thispressure is less and less until the plate is in the vertical positionwhen the lifting thrust on the levers is zero. Thus the operation of thegrill may be more easily accomplished. It also compensates to someextent for Mr N a simple connection between the lever arms but alsomakes it possible to arrange the spring in the base and out of sight.

What I claim as new is:-

1. In a grill, the combination of a bottom plate; an upper plate; aswinging connection between the upper plate and the bottom plate; alever at the side of the plates and pivotally supported relatively toand fulcrumed on the bottom plate at the side of said plate; meanscommunicating the movement of the lever to the top plate comprisingdevices having sliding engagement with the lever communicating themovement of the lever to the plate; and a spring acting on the lever ata point away from the point of application of its force to the means,the strength of the spring being insufficient to lift the plate fromclosed position.

2. In a grill, the combination of a bottom plate; an upper plate; aswinging connection between the upper plate and the bottom plate"; alever at the side of the plates and pivotally supported relatively toand fulcrumed on the bottom plate at theside of said plate; meanscommunicating the movement of the lever to the top plate and permittinga movement of the top plate relatively to the lever varying theeffective lever arm as the top is moved increasing the leverage as thetop plate is lowered; and a spring acting on the lever at a point awayfrom the point of application of its force to the means, the strength ofthe spring being .insuificient to lift the plate from closed position.

3. In a grill, the combination of a bottom plate; an upper plate; a bailpivotally mounted on the bottom plate extending forwardly along thesides of the upper plate and across the front of the upper plate; apivotal connection between the sides of the upper plate and the bail; alever at the side of the plates and pivotally supported relatively toand fulcrumed on the bottom plate at the side of said plate; meanscommunicating the movement of the lever to the top plate at the pivotand permitting a movement of the top plate relatively to the leverendwise of the lever increasing the leverage as the top plate islowered; and a spring acting on the lever at a point away from the pointof application of its force to the means, the strength of the springbeing insuflicient to lift the plate from closed position.

4. In a grill the combination of a bottom plate; an upper plate; aswinging connection between the upper plate and bottom plate; a lever atthe side of the plates and pivotally supported relatively to andfulcrumed on the bottom plate at the side of said plate; a linkconnecting the lever with the upper plate and permitting a movement ofthe top plate relatively to the lever varying the effective lever arm asthe top plate is moved, increasing the leverage as the top is lowered;and a spring acting on the lever at a point away from the point ofapplication of its force to the means, the strength of the spring beinginsuificient to lift the plate from closed position.

CARL R. ANDERSON.

